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Topic Review (Newest First)

09-13-2006 09:01 AM

Rockter

My boat has leaked at the chainplates for 14 years, and I have never been able to stop all of them, after numerous attempts. You learn to live with them.

In a very big sea, the old boat gets soaked anyway. Water gets in just about everywhere.

It's a Union EO 36.

It's the prettiest thing that ever floated.... wouldn't part with it... leaks or no leaks.

09-12-2006 10:34 PM

Lecy

You can always hire a qualified marine surveyor to put a moisture meter on the deck. That is really the only way to know if the leaks are something that can be repaired with a few tubes of caulk and maybe a weekend epoxy project or an outrageously expensive project to replace the balsa core in the deck. For an investment in the boat, the $300 or so that it costs is probably well worth it. A professional broker should be able to provide a list of several to chose from. If not, try calling the largest repair facility in your area. They probably work with a few they can recommend.

09-04-2006 02:00 PM

hellosailor

Leaks around chainplates and hatches are not uncommon and not a crisis unless they have caused extensive core damage. Odds are if the boat is leaking all over, it has been leaking long enough to have extensive damage and if you're unfamiliar with checking for that, you need a surveyor.

A leaking hull/deck joint is something more problematic. In order to fix that--and it can be fixed--you need to work with two people, one inside, one outside, going down the whole length of the hull, unbolted it, opening it up, cleaning it out, rebedding/sealing and rebolting. That can be one VERY long job.

With all that leaking, you also have a PO who has been ignoring important maintenance so the odds are the engine oil isn't changed regulary, etc., either.

Still, if the price is right...and you have the time to invest in repairs. But if you think you'll be getting in over your head, better to buy a boat you can just SAIL without a year of fixing and worrying.

09-04-2006 01:29 PM

sailingdog

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

I disagree...leaking around chainplates and companionway hatches is commonplace and easily attended to and NOT an indication of boat quality...more of a maintenance issue. Leaking at the hull deck joint is a much bigger structural concern, harder to get at and find. I too would walk away.

While I agree that a leaking hull-deck join is much more serious a problem, leaking chainplates are often due to the chainplates being structurally to weak for the stresses placed on them, and the movement of the chainplates is what causes many of the leaks. Chainplates should be very solid structurally, as the rig of the boat is dependent on them.

09-04-2006 02:24 AM

yotphix

In whatever boat you do buy you will undoubtedly have opportunities to fix leaks! That one really sounded like a victim of poor design and or construction and probably neglect to boot. Good choice...keep looking.

09-03-2006 11:41 PM

camaraderie

I disagree...leaking around chainplates and companionway hatches is commonplace and easily attended to and NOT an indication of boat quality...more of a maintenance issue. Leaking at the hull deck joint is a much bigger structural concern, harder to get at and find. I too would walk away.

09-03-2006 07:37 PM

sailingdog

A well-found boat will not leak around the chainplates and the hull-deck join. Those leaks, especially the ones around the chainplates, can lead to serious problems—like core saturation and deck delamination.

Walking away was probably a good choice.

09-03-2006 06:56 PM

alanl

My view is that sloppy design or workmanship caused the problem and you did well to walk away - unless the price was so low as to compensate for the potential days of work to fix the problem.

I have enough trouble fixing the relatively minor leaks where bolts work around tracks and grabrails - even though I installed them myself and did it properly. so I hate to think about the effort to fix the one you saw

Cheers

AlanL

09-03-2006 06:10 PM

Jotun

Repairing leaks?

I went and looked at a boat today for sale today and was dismayed to find evidence from a number of leaks--various places around the hull and deck joint, the chainplates, and the companionway hatch. Are such leaks trouble that I should avoid or are they mostly repairable and not a major concern? I know that's a tough question without really seeing the leak, but I walked away from the boat because of them. I am now second guessing myself.